History of Pre-Columbian America 3305-HAP-11
The History of Pre-Columbian America is a basic course in the history of selected pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas.
The course is divided into two thematic blocks. In the first, students will learn about the pre-Hispanic history of the area known as Mesoamerica. Using examples drawn primarily from the Aztec and Maya cultures, class participants will learn the most important elements of the so-called “nucleus,” that is, the set of cultural phenomena that characterized most Mesoamerican communities throughout history. This includes the cosmovision, mythical narratives, beliefs, the role of the ruler, and social organization.
The second thematic section deals with the history of the cultures of the Andean area of South America. In this part of the course, students will primarily learn about the culture of the Incas, having been introduced to the historical framework, chronology, and context of other societies that lived for centuries in the area.
The scheduled topics will be covered in a minimum of 12 meetings.
Disclaimer: Some content presented in the course may contain elements that could be distressing for sensitive individuals (particularly graphic descriptions).
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
The student knows and understands the basic terminology, subject matter, and lines of research on the history of pre-Hispanic America; the major historical events and important aspects of pre-colonial Mesoamerican and Andean South American culture (K_W03; K_W06).
The student can read with understanding source texts and scientific studies on the pre-Columbian history of the Americas; present their views and opinions, and discuss issues related to the history of pre-Columbian America; identify different genres of texts on the history of the areas under discussion, place them in a general historical and cultural context, and analyze them using basic terminology and appropriate methods; independently acquire knowledge and develop skills using appropriate sources (source texts, monographic studies, etc.); use basic theoretical approaches, research paradigms and concepts specific to the historical studies of the pre-Hispanic cultures (K_U01; K_U02; K_U03; K_U04; K_U07).
The student is ready to critically evaluate his/her knowledge and skills and also understands the need for continuous improvement and development; is ready to actively participate in the culture of the studied region using various forms and media, and to work autonomously; is ready to follow contemporary processes and phenomena occurring in Latin American culture related to its' pre-Hispanic heritage (K_K01; K_K03; K_K04).
Assessment criteria
Attendance at classes is mandatory. Throughout the semester, 2 unauthorized absences are allowed. For each additional unauthorized absence, the final grade will be lowered by half a grade. To pass the course, a student may have a total of up to 50% absences (authorized and/or unauthorized) during the semester; more than 50% absences will result in not being classified. Leave of absence, including medical ones, can be submitted within 14 days of returning to the university; leaves submitted after this period will not be considered, and the absence will be treated as unauthorized.
Absences can be made up twice per semester through an oral examination during office hours by prior arrangement with the teacher (this applies only to periods when classes are in progress; it will not be possible during the examination session).
As part of the ongoing assessment of students’ learning outcomes, short tests confirming the fulfillment and understanding of the assigned reading will be conducted at the beginning of each class. Failed tests cannot be retaken. An unexcused absence from class is equivalent to failing the test. Students have the opportunity to take tests at a later date for the classes they missed and for which they have a medical leave of absence. Passing all entry tests will increase the final grade by half a grade.
The requirements to take the final exam are as follows:
- Passing 65% of the tests conducted at the beginning of each class (up to 35% of the tests may remain unpassed during the semester, including those resulting from the student’s absences).
- No more than 50% absences (authorized and/or unauthorized).
To pass the course, taking the exam and getting min. 65% of the points is required. The exam consists of test questions and essay questions. It will be held in a stationary form. If it is not possible to organize the exam in a stationary form, it will take place online via the Google Meet platform and Google Classroom form or via the Kampus UW platform.
Practical placement
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Bibliography
During the course, selected passages from the readings listed below will be discussed. Detailed information on the fragments will be provided during the class.
Obligatory readings for classes on Mesoamerica:
Durán Diego (2006) Historia de las Indias de Nueva España e Islas de la Tierra Firme, vols. I i II. Meksyk, Porrúa.
Grube, Nikolai (ed.) (2001) Majowie. Niezwykła cywilizacja. Warsaw, Wyd. Buchmann.
History and Mythology of the Aztecs. The Codex Chimalpopoca (1998). Trans. John Bierhorst. Tuscon, University of Arizona Press.
Kirchhoff, Paul (1967 [1943]) “Mesoamérica. Sus Límites Geográficos, Composición Étnica y Carácteres Culturales”. Mexico, Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
Madajczak, Julia, Gruda Szymon (ed.) (2021) Aztecka układanka. Szesnastowieczny rękopis ze zbiorów Biblioteki Jagiellońskiej (2021). Warsaw, WUW
Olko, Justyna (2010) Meksyk przed konkwistą. Warsaw, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.
Olko, Justyna, Źrałka, Jarosław (2008) W krainie czerni i czerwieni. Warsaw, WUW.
Popol Vuh. Księga Majów o początkach życia oraz chwale bogów i władców (2007) Trans. Dennis Tedlock, polish translation by Izabela Szybilska. Gliwice, Wyd. Helion.
Sahagún, Bernardino de (2006) Rzecz z dziejów Nowej Hiszpanii. Księgi I, II, III. Tłum. Kamila Baraniecka i Marta Leszczyńska. Kęty, Wydawnictwo Marek Derewiecki
Sahagún, Bernardino de: Florentine Codex. General History of the Things of New Spain (1950-1982). Translation from nahuatl by Charles Dibble and Arthur J.O. Anderson, The School of American Research and the University of Utah, Santa Fe. T. VIII, X
Tomicki, Ryszard (1984) Tenochtitlan 1521. Warsaw Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej.
Tomicki, Ryszard (1988) „Źródła do dziejów przedhiszpańskiego Meksyku. I. Historia Meksyku (1548?)”. Etnografia Polska, XXXII: 49-79.
Torquemada, fray Juan de. (1986). Monarquía Indiana. Mexico, Porrúa.
Tuszyńska, Boguchwała (2007) Mitologie Świata. Majowie. Warsaw, Rzeczpospolita S.A., New Media Concept.
Ulmer, Andrzej (2016) Cywilizacja Majów. Osiągnięcia intelektualne. Historia militarna i polityczna. Oświęcim, Napoleon V
Velásquez García, Erik (2016) Nowa Historia Meksyku. Warsaw, PWN
Obligatory readings for classes on South America:
Betanzos, Juan de: Suma y narración de los incas (2010). María del Carmen Martín Rubio (red.). Lima, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Guaman Poma de Ayala, Felipe: Nueva Coronica y Buen Gobierno. Tomo I (2005). Słownik i tłum. Jan Szemiński. Meksyk, Lima, Fondo de Cultura Económica
Molina, Cristobal de: Ritos y favulas de los Ingas. W: Inkowie o Inkach. Antologia (2015). Spolszczył, przypisami i komentarzami opatrzył Jan Szemiński. Warsaw, Wydział „Artes Liberales” UW
Pizarro, Pedro: Relacja o odkryciu i podboju Królestwa Peru (1995). Trans. Maria Mróz, Gdańska, Novus Orbis
Rostworowska, Maria: Historia Państwa Inków (2007). Warszawa, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy
Szemiński Jan i Mariusz Ziółkowski: Mity, rytuały i polityka Inków (2006). Warsaw, PIW
Vega, Inca Garcilaso de la: O Inkach uwagi prawdziwe (2000). Trans. Jan Szemiński. Warsaw, Wydawnictwo TRIO CESLA UW, Ambasada Peru w Polsce
Ziółkowski, Mariusz „Dlaczego przegrali, czyli o grzechu pychy w polityce”, In: Przegląd Akademicki, cz. I.
Additional readings:
Clendinnen, Inga (1996) Aztekowie. Próba interpretacji. Warsaw, PIW.
Cortés, Hernán (1997) Listy o zdobyciu Meksyku.Trans. Maria Mróz i Ryszard Tomicki. Gdańsk, Novus Orbis.
Kettunen, Harri i Christopher Helmke (2011) Wprowadzenie do Hieroglifów Majów. Trans. Boguchwała Tuszyńska, materiały pokonferencyjne. Kopenhaga, XVI Europejska Konferencja Majanistyczna.
Landa, fray Diego de (1937) Yucatan Before and After the Conquest. Trans. William Gates. Dostęp online: http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/maya/ybac/index.htm.
López Austin, Alfredo i Leonardo López Lujan: El pasado indígena (2001). Mexico, El Colegio de México, Fideicomiso Historia de las Américas, Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Marcus, Joyce i Kent Flannery (2000)"Cultural evolution in Oaxaca: the origins of the Zapotec and Mixtec civilizations”. W: R. Adams I M. MacLeod (red.) The Cambridge History of the Native Peoples of the Americas. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press: 358-406.
Martin, Simon i Nikolai Grube (2000) Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens. London, Thames & Hudson.
Mikulska, Katarzyna (2009) „Prekolumbijskie cywilizacje Mezoameryki”. W: Marcin F. Gawrycki (red.) Dzieje kultury latynoamerykańskiej. Warsaw, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN: 73-84.
Mikulska, Katarzyna (2014) „Znak graficzny w przedhiszpańskich księgach wróżebnych środkowego Meksyku”. In: Zbigniew Kloch, Łukasz Grützmacher i Marek Kaźmierczak (ed.) Znakowe wartości kultury. Warsaw, WUW: 55-78.
Olko, Justyna (2007) Mitologie Świata. Aztekowie. Warszawa, Rzeczpospolita S.A., New Media Concept.
Pool, Christopher (2007) Olmec Archaeology and Early Mesoamerica. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Stuart, David: The Arrival of Strangers. Teotihuacan and Tollan in Classic Maya History. Dostęp online: http://www.mesoweb.com/pari/publications/news_archive/25/strangers/strangers.html.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: